We stream it. We steal it. We "borrow" it from friends. We buy it. How about actually being a part of making it? Well with Kickstarter you have that chance. Artist from all over the country are using Kickstarter to raise money to record albums while allowing their fans and supporters to be a part of the process. The best part is that you are not just donating. You get something in return and you can tell people you helped make that album happen. Charlie Hardin out of Nashville is in the middle of his Kickstarter campaign to raise money to record his first album. If you remember Charlie was
featured here way back and was actually my first ever
artist interview. Its been a joy to watch how his music career is unfolding and I've also had the pleasure of hearing a few of the new song demos and let me tell you that so far they are amazing. I got back with Charlie to hear more about the new album and Kickstarter. Check out our convo and make sure to visit the Kickstarter page and if you want to support the arts support Charlie!
1. So Charlie, your Kickstarter is off and running for the new album. Can you tell us a little about what Kickstarter is and how it works?
It is indeed off and running! Kickstarter is a sweet platform for artists such as myself to fund projects. A person can choose to pledge any amount of money, and in return they will be given a reward if the goal is reached (if it's not reached, then you don't get the rewards and you are not charged for your pledge). I was recently discussing the whole thing with my friend Will - at first he was under the impression that is was like running a donations-based fundraiser. I don't care for that description because it seems to infer that people are involved in a one-sided transaction. With Kickstarter, nobody gets nothing in return for something. Every person who pledges not only will receive a cool Thank-You for their support (like a signed copy of the album, or their name in the liner notes or their initials tattooed on my body), but more importantly, by backing this project, they become part of it's history. When you choose to back this record, you are literally becoming a valuable part of it getting made. I'm going to love delivering every one of my supporters their rewards, but the best part will be giving them the completed record, because we have all been a part of making it.
2. How long have you been waiting to make this album?
It's been about 2 and a half years since my last release, but it really feels like I've been building up to this record my entire life, frankly. I will have a great deal more creative control with this record, and will be recording material spanning about 4 or 5 years. I have been very fortunate to make many kinds of recordings in the last decade or so, but I am most excited to really express what I've been given with this go-round. There are some very important family stories that I wasn't able to tell last time, which I'm really excited about. One that has been with me for a while is "John David", about my late identical twin brother, which has been a favorite for several years. I've recorded it before, but never officially released it. That's a song that has apparently touched a lot of folks for a while, so letting it fully come to life is going to be a priority. Another favorite (at least of mine) is called "Invention". I've done demos of it a few times, but the most recent one was possibly the closest I've ever come to putting on tape what I actually wanted in my impressionistic brain! I've listened to it a ton of times. How vain! It's based on a dream I had a while back where I had built a time machine involving a 2" reel-to-reel tape deck in this basement, and I traveled back in to a time before my mother suffered from the mental illness that plagued her during her later years. It was such a vivid dream, and the recording, even in demo form, has this amazing dreamlike quality. I just can't wait for everyone to hear it.
3. How has the recording process gone for you so far?
At this moment, we've mostly been doing demos and deciding which songs to use - pretty early on in the actual recording process, but it's already surprising me. The success we experienced with "Invention" has really got my blood moving. I can't wait to see what we come up with when we really dig in to the process.
4. Has your music changed since your previous released recordings? Do you feel like your style has changed or developed over the last year?
Sure, I absolutely do. It's taken me a long time to feel comfortable with the rock and roll side of what we play, and the last record was not taken in that direction. Of course, I listen to stuff I've been recording since college or high school or before that, and it always has this feeling of "did I know what that sounded like when I did it?" In a sense, I feel more like myself as a writer and a performer than I've ever felt. I have always had a weakness for epic sounds and melancholy themes, I feel the way that sounds differently than I have before. Still big, but not too glossy. Still personal, but not unnecessary.
5. Once the album is out do you plan on hitting the road and touring?
I do! Most of the touring will likely be in the spring, but I will start circling the wagons in the fall. Part of the Kickstarter is the option for people to buy a personal concert, so those will be my first priority.
Hope you enjoyed Charlie and all his plaid glory. Check out the campaign and help an artist bring a dream into reality.
